Wilmington Beach drainage, paving project on the way

Monday

Nov 30, 2009 at 12:40 PM

A paving and drainage improvement project nearly five years in the making may come to pass next summer.

By Amanda HutchesonCitydesk@StarNewsOnline.com

A paving and drainage improvement project nearly five years in the making may come to pass next summer.In 2005, Carolina Beach began planning improvements to the Wilmington Beach subdivision at the south end of the town, which it annexed in 2000. The improvements will pave the streets and improve drainage, piping stormwater to two retention ponds in the Sunny Point buffer zone.Permitting took longer than town officials had anticipated, delaying construction. But now, with permits in hand and the addition of approximately $2.3 million in federal stimulus money for this and other work, the town is ready to move forward with the project. Construction is expected to begin in the summer and last for 16 to 18 months.While there was originally some opposition to the project, which will assess 467 property owners in the subdivision for much of the project cost, Town Manager Tim Owens said residents seemed to be in favor of the project now.“For the most part, the folks that have called me are wondering when it’s going to happen,” Owens said. “I know there was some opposition when it was originally proposed. Most folks that call and talk about the project, they definitely want it. They want to know when it’s going to happen. I don’t think I’ve had one phone call of someone saying, ‘We don’t need to be doing this.’ ”Homeowners will be assessed approximately $1,050 per year for seven years to help pay the $4.15 million construction and financing costs. The town will pay about $1.7 million for its share of the project and intersection and sidewalk work. Stimulus money will help the town cover its debt service and possibly avoid a tax increase, Owens said.“The monetary impact would have been significantly more on the assessment and the town’s responsibility without the (federal) funding,” Owens said. “We may have to consider a tax increase. It’s really too early in the budget process to tell how things are going to be next year. A good part of the (project cost) is being paid by the homeowners.”The town held its first public hearing on the project last week. There will be open houses on the project on Dec. 14 and Jan. 11, with a second public hearing Jan. 12, allowing property owners to review the delayed project.